


so light 'em up (i'm on fire)

by sylphofkarkat



Series: cats of a feather flock together (wait, i meant crows) [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Relationship, KenHina Week, M/M, POV Second Person, i guess implied daisuga, karasuno kenma, there is no escape from the domesticity of daisuga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-20 02:26:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2411552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylphofkarkat/pseuds/sylphofkarkat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shouyou just has - an effect on him. He doesn't know quite how to describe it. He just feels a burning in his chest.</p><p>--</p><p>[kenhina week, day 5: alternate universe]</p>
            </blockquote>





	so light 'em up (i'm on fire)

**Author's Note:**

> i've been working on this for weeks and i still don't knowwhat have i wrought. . ..
> 
> notes for this au (that i'll probably be developing later):  
> \- daichi and kenma are childhood friends like kuroo and kenma are in canon. daichi taught kenma to play volleyball and did not laugh at him when the ball hit him in the face.  
> \- kenma still dyes his hair blond in his 1st year (thanks tanaka) but it washes out a lot faster. suga later helps him put in highlights instead. (i'm gonna write a fic for that i just know it)  
> \- instead of picking an official team setter, suga and kenma were interchangeable, so they both have court experience.  
> \- kenma's jersey number 9; hinata's still jersey number 10, all the other 1st years are pushed back a number (two in kageyama's case).  
> \- nekoma struggled to find a setter. they had to have fukunaga try and fill in but it failed pretty badly. and then shibayama came with the new 1st years, the little angel. (nekoma's not even in this fic ...)
> 
> also!! hinata is not at nekoma instead because it's a pretty central part of who he is that he wanted to go to karasuno, because he saw the small giant on tv. he wanted to be like this great player who was shorter than the other players, like he is, and that's why he plays volleyball and is at karasuno.
> 
> other headcanons:  
> \- hinata and kageyama's volleyball language is different from each other's so they don't understand each other all the time (actually this is canon remember kageyama explaining the setter  
> \- suga is a huge sucker for romantics (on par with rin from free like whoa)
> 
> i swear this starts all pretty prose-like and then just degenerates so it's a mess
> 
> title from [my songs know what you did in the dark (light em up)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkIWmsP3c_s) by fall out boy!

He's blinding, bright like nothing you've seen before. He's like a fire and you're afraid to get near.

\--

Karasuno is a place teeming with darkness.

Daichi had convinced you to enroll with him to the school of previous fame. He had watched the matches with the Small Giant a few years back and immediately was drawn to it. From that year, he had his mind set. You, however, weren’t so sure.

You didn’t even play volleyball for the fun of it. Sure, you were in the club in middle school, but that was mainly because of Daichi. You were friendly enough with the other club members (Daichi’s friend Ikejiri comes to mind), and yes, the setter was the better position for you (you don’t stand out as much as the spikers do, which you like). But the sport wasn’t interesting enough that you actively played.

However, you came to the school anyway. You joined the volleyball club with a heavy heart and a whirling mind.

Your first year - you don’t even want to think about it. You had heard Coach Ukai was tough from Daichi, but you didn’t expect him to be… the way he was. His training was stricter than you're used to (not very challenging at all; your only coaches were Daichi and the middle school one, who didn't expect a whole lot) and he expected too much of you.

You felt trapped. On one hand you didn't want anyone to think less of you, but on the other...

You began skipping practice. Ennoshita and the other first years (except Tanaka and Nishinoya) in the club did too; sometimes they invited you to study or hang out with them, but you always declined, preferring to curl up at home and play games. Sometimes you passed by the gym during afternoon practice, only to see Sugawara giving you a worried glance before resuming conversation with Daichi. You always felt a twist in your gut when that happened.

Besides that, it felt good. You didn't have the continual pressure anymore.

Until Daichi threw open the door to your room one day and demanded you come back.

"It's too much effort," you said, looking away from his piercing gaze that knew you so well. "Besides, what does it matter? I'm never going to be as good as coach wants me to be. I can't even match Sugawara."

"Well, of course you won't be good without practice. This isn't like one of your games, Kenma. You don't get a save point or a reset button." Daichi barked. He sounded powerful, like someone important.

You don't look at him.

His eyes soften. "Kenma, I know you. And you are good. Never mind being as good or better than someone else; you've got to go with what works for you. Polish that instead of being a textbook player." He sighs. "Look, I'm not going to force you to come back. But I don't think you really hate volleyball. No, I know you don't. So just - try again. Suga's worried. I'm worried."

A hand drops on your shoulder. You startle, because you didn't hear him coming towards you at all. You usually would pick up on things like that. You look up. His smile is tired, but understanding.

You've known him for a long time now, and Daichi has only given you this smile one other time before (that was the first time you wanted to quit volleyball as kids).

"Just think about it, okay?"

You nod, because that's all you can do.

\--

You eventually go back to practices. The team is glad to see you back. Daichi's smile is as bright as it was the first time you received.

Coach Ukai had fallen ill and retired a few weeks before you came back. The gym's atmosphere feels both lighter and heavier without a coach.

You notice Azumane and Nishinoya both aren't here. You don't know exactly what happened, but you heard the team played Dateko at In-high. You don't want to ask about it; it'll probably bring up a bad memory.

Sugawara pulls you aside one day and asks if you're alright. You are.

Things are okay.

You start being the first one at practices (you want to prove to Daichi that you’re making the effort, and there’s no better way to do it then beating him to the gym every day). You set for the team in the occasional practice matches and games, switching off with Sugawara when you know he wants to play. The team improves. You settle into a rhythm for the rest of the year.

And then you're a second year.

Which is when he comes along and lights up the dark.

\--

Hinata Shouyou. First year, Karasuno High School. He hopes to be the ace one day (like his idol, the Small Giant), but is now a decoy. He can hit Kageyama's crazy tosses like they’re nothing.

You honestly don't know what it is about him, but you're captivated by him. From the first day you saw him barreling into the gym (all smiles and excitement, only to be shut down at the sight of Kageyama), to the three-on-three game with him and the other first years (when Daichi said his eyes were shut on that spike, you were as shocked as everyone else). How he crowed when he found out you were a setter too and that there was no “official” setter on the Karasuno team before Kageyama (‘So you and Sugawara-san both played in games? That’s so cool, Kenma!’) and how he then begged you to set for him (Kageyama came and slapped him on the upside of his head at being called a grumpy tool and told him to get back to practice). How he blushed and practically vibrated the first time you called him Shouyou.

He's so clumsy and upbeat off the court, but he changes entirely in a game. You're not the only one who notices this of course; the entire team has commented on 'how creepy he gets'. You see an intensity, a fire in his eyes that can never be extinguished.

You want to see that burning up close. You want to be in that fire, to melt away in him and never return.

Shouyou just has an effect on you. You're not exactly sure what it is. When he smiles at you, your insides twist like when Sugawara looked at you with that worried look on his face - but it's a good feeling this time.

\--

Surprisingly, it's Kageyama who notices before you do.

You're helping him with setting one day (he came up to you and shouted in kind of a halting way, like he was stuttering but still trying to sound confident) after practice when you hear an indignant cry from a few meters behind you. When you turn, it's to see Shouyou running up to you at a speed not advised for school safety (not that anyone really paid much attention to safety rules, least of all Shouyou).

"Hehhh?! Kenma's practicing with Kageyama and neither of you told me? Not fair; I wanna spike!" he wails, a betrayed look in his hazel eyes.

Kageyama scowls. "You do that all the time, setters need practice too."

"Yeah, and you can practice by tossing to me!!"

"No, dumbass! Anyway, can't you practice with Sugawara-san?"

"Sugawara-san doesn't toss like _gyoom_ like you do!"

" _Gyoom_?! What the hell does that mean?"

Just like always. It won't be long until Kageyama grabs Shouyou in what he dubbed "the Iron Claw". Time for someone to step in and stop them; looks like it'll be you today.

"Sorry we didn't invite you today, Shouyou. We thought you were busy," you put in, cutting in on their argument about different tosses and how they ought to sound. Kageyama gives you a look, and Shouyou deflates.

"Hehh, really?" he mutters, hanging his head. Then he brightens, straightening like he was a ruler and with a gleam in his eyes that was there whenever the subject of volleyball came up. "But we can practice together another time, right!?"

You blush. "Yeah. Sure."

Shouyou whoops and jumps in his place. When he lands again, he is entirely too close, leaning into you with a wide grin splitting his face.

"Thanks, Kenma! You're the best!"

He lets out a quick breath, steps back, grins again. "Well! Guess I better leave you and Kageyama to it. I'll see ya tomorrow!!"

He waves, turns and practically skips away around the front of the gym. You are left dumbstruck, watching him go until he turns the corner and he is gone.

Kageyama looks curiously at you. "Kozume-san. Are you alright?”

You blink quickly, look back at him and nod.

He wrinkles his brow in concern. "Are you sure? You're still a little - red."

Oh. You had forgotten about your blush while you were watching Shouyou leave. Now you realize just how hot your face feels. You try to will it away, but to no avail.

He looks down at his sneakers, eyes a little flighty. "Is this about Hinata? Do you, maybe, like him?"

Whoa.

The words hit you hard in the gut. You furiously shake your head, face still hot but your mind now jumbled.

He doesn't exactly look convinced. If anything, he looks like he’s believing his statement a lot more.

“If you do, you should tell him. You know how incredibly oblivious that idiot is; he’d never figure it out. And you should tell him soon.” Kageyama looks away again, a light flush to his cheeks. “Doing it later would only make it hurt more.”

He turns briskly on his heels, walking a little hastily to pick up the volleyball. “But make sure you don’t get too distracted from practice. We swore we were going to win and go to nationals.” With that, he holds up the ball again, a silent prompt to continue where you had left off. But there’s a solemn look in his navy blue eyes, one that is telling you about a million things at once, but they all boil down to one thing. _I support you_.

You think there's nothing more that you can teach Tobio; he's already learned everything he needs.

\--

It doesn’t surprise you at all that Daichi finds out next. What does, however, is that you’re learning this from Sugawara instead.

You know that the two of them were closer than anyone else on the team (it’s widely debated whether they are, in fact, a couple, and bets have gone around between the others, mainly Tanaka and Nishinoya). You had gotten used to having Sugawara around more often when Daichi came over.

The thing was, though, you were used to having serious talks with Daichi. (That day he told you to come back to club sticks out more prominently in your mind.) But while Sugawara did his fair share of worrying about you in club, he did that to everyone, and it stayed in club. So when you open your door to see him on your front step, you can’t really do much but blearily stare.

Sugawara grins his refreshing smile as you invite him inside.

“What’s going on, Sugawara?” you ask, already tired from gaming last night. He breathes out a sigh.

“I’ve told you, Kenma, you can call me Suga! You’ve known me for as long as Daichi has, anyway. But!” He claps his hands together. “That’s not what I’m here for now. I hear you like Hinata!”

You blush slightly and look away. You still aren’t used to hearing that out loud, even after thinking over Tobio’s words earlier this week.

“H-how’d you find out?”

Sugawara’s grin widens. “I’m not wrong, am I? And a setter has to have their secrets!” he says brightly. Then his smile drops just the least bit. “Okay, well, Daichi actually pretty much confirmed it for me, but I had my suspicions!”

You had all but known he would have.

“So, I just wanted to come check on you and make sure you’re alright, which you are, right? And ask if you were going to do anything about this!”

Ah. Right.

You had forgotten Sugawara was a big romantic. Last time you had hung out with him and Daichi, they were having a romantic comedy marathon (more like Sugawara was watching, you and Daichi had tuned out within the first ten minutes).

“Well, it’s not like I had really… planned anything. I don’t really expect him to say yes, anyway,” you murmur.

Sugawara puts his hand on your shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay! He’s sure to! We’ve all seen how you two are with each other, there’s no way it could go wrong! But hey,” he lowers his voice a bit. “If anything is or does go wrong, you can always talk to me, you know?”

You look up at him. He’s got a warm look in his eyes, a soft grin on his face. You smile back, just a small smile, but it’s enough.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Sugawara grins again. “Great! Now about your confession --”

\--

Today’s the day. You’ve been preparing (not really; Sugawara had given you this big plan that you deemed totally unnecessary) for a while, you’ve made sure you knew what to say (which may or may not go well, considering how the words just come out when you’re around him), and you’ve psyched yourself up to it (Sugawara also held two thumbs up and mouthed ‘go for it!’ while Daichi shook his head in amusement).

You’re going to tell Shouyou you like him today. You get right to practice after classes, as usual. You expect to have a little time before everyone else gets there; you know that Shouyou and Tobio usually come around five minutes before everyone else trickles in.

What you don’t expect is Shouyou to already be there, clumsily receiving against the wall. Shouyou jumps at the rattling of the door opening and looks over at you. The ball drops on his head and he yelps.

“K-Kenma!”

“Shouyou.”

You are not prepared. All expectations have failed you; time to just go for it.

“I-”

“I have to tell you something!” Shouyou yells before you can speak. “I- uh, I like you! A lot! And I want to go out with you!”

You blink in shock. He blinks right back.

Silence fills the gymnasium.

Shouyou suddenly yells out again and starts waving his hands frantically. “Y-you don’t have to say anything back! I know it’s probably never gonna happen but Sugawara-san told me it was better to just say it than keep it in and auuggh, you’re probably gonna hate me for this and-”

“Shouyou. Breathe,” you interject, cutting off his rant before you know it can begin. He stops talking and does. You sigh lightly, smiling slightly at his behavior.

“I like you too. I was actually going to tell you just then, but. You beat me to it.”

Shouyou stops and stands still. It is silent in the gym again. You fear he may have stopped breathing.

You reach a hand out to touch his arm, hoping to rouse him from his daze. “Hey. Shouyou?”

He then grabs your hand in his and leans in close, eyes sparkling. “You really mean that!?” he says in a rush, excited grin nearly splitting his face in two. You smile right back, leaning in more to touch your forehead to his.

“Yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> the rest of the team comes in shortly after, sees them like that and pretty much all of them yell out varying statements of 'I KNEW IT', suga just grins the whole time
> 
> goddammit suga


End file.
